Trans-border drug racket busted, three held with 1kg ‘ice’, 1kg heroin

Amritsar :The Amritsar commissionerate police have busted a trans-border narcotic smuggling racket with the arrest of three drug smugglers with 1kg ‘ice’ (methamphetamine) and 1kg heroin, said Punjab director general of police (DGP) Gaurav Yadav on Wednesday.

Methamphetamine, also known as ‘ice’ or ‘crystal meth’, is a highly addictive psychostimulant drug.

The arrested trio has been identified as Karandeep Singh (22), a resident of Bhakna Kala village in Amritsar, Jeewan Singh (19) and Manjinder Singh (21), both from Chohla Sahib village in Tarn Taran, the DGP said. Police have also impounded their car, Toyota Etios, in which they were travelling.

Amritsar commissioner of police Gurpreet Singh Bhullar said acting on a tip-off, the police put up a checkpost near Puli Sua on Ajnala road in Amritsar and arrested the trio after recovering drugs from their car.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that Karandeep had been living in Dubai and Moscow before returning to Punjab after six years.

After his return, Karandeep established contacts with Pakistan-based drug smugglers using various social media apps and started smuggling in narcotics from across the border to supply them in Amritsar and its neighbouring districts, the DGP said.

Drones were used by the Pakistan-based smugglers to supply narcotics, he said, adding that Karandeep was also in touch with foreign-based gangster Gurdev, alias Jaisal, the officer said.

Jaisal is a key operative of Canada-based terrorists Lakhbir Singh, alias Landa, and Satbir Singh, alias Satta, the alleged masterminds behind the rocket propelled grenade (RPG) attack on the Sarhali police station in Tarn Taran, and numerous plots to commit targeted killings in Punjab.

A first information report (FIR) has been registered against the trio at the Amritsar airport police station and a detailed probe is underway to establish their backward and forward linkages, police said.